Scholarship Gap Calculator
Subtract grants, scholarships, savings and work income from the cost of attendance to see the funding gap you must cover.
How it works
net price = cost of attendance − gift aid · gap = cost of attendance − (grants + family + work)
A financial-aid award letter is easiest to judge as a gap: start from the full cost of attendance, subtract gift aid you never repay, then subtract what you can pay from savings and work. Whatever is left is the gap you must fill — usually with loans, so the smaller it is, the less you borrow. Watch for letters that "cover" the cost mainly with loans; those close the gap on paper but leave you owing the same money later.
Worked example
A $35,000 cost of attendance with $12,000 in grants and scholarships has a net price of $23,000. Adding $8,000 from family savings and $3,000 from a job covers $23,000 of resources, or 66% of the cost, leaving a gap of $35,000 − $23,000 = $12,000 to borrow.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as "gift aid" versus a resource?
Gift aid is grants and scholarships you never repay, and it lowers the net price directly. Savings, family help and work income are your own resources — they cover the gap but are money you or your family provide. Loans are neither; they just defer the gap.
Why is the "net price" different from the gap?
Net price is the cost after only gift aid, before your own money is applied — it is what aid calculators report. The gap goes further and subtracts your savings and work, leaving the amount you still have to find, typically through loans.
How do I shrink the gap?
Chase more outside scholarships (they reduce the net price directly), increase savings or work income, or pick a school whose net price after gift aid is lower. Comparing the gap across award letters is the clearest way to see which offer costs you least.
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Educational estimate only, not financial advice. College prices, aid, interest rates and returns vary and change every year — confirm exact figures with the school’s financial-aid office or a licensed advisor.